An oil field worker died late Tuesday after sustaining injuries from a gas pipeline fire Thursday afternoon, according to a release from the Weld County Coroner’s office.
The worker was identified as 61-year-old George Cottingham of Greeley in the release. Cottingham was transported to North Colorado Medical Center’s Burn Center after the fire on a PDC Energy site about 10 miles east of Galeton.
Two others injured in the fire were taken to North Colorado Medical Center, according to Fire Chief James Dilka. No information was released Wednesday about the two others who were injured.
“Preliminary information suggests that this was an industrial accident, and the scene is being turned over to Briggsdale Fire for further investigation,” Weld County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Matt Turner said in a news release.
Though the well site belongs to PDC Energy, the injured workers were doing routine maintenance on a DCP Midstream pipeline. One of the workers was a DCP employee and the other two were contract workers, according to a DCP spokeswoman.
MORE: One DCP employee, two contractors injured in gas pipeline fire near Galeton
Dilka confirmed a flashover injured the workers and damaged two company trucks. Fire crews had the fire contained within about 15 minutes, according to Dilka.
According to the coroner’s release, the final manner and cause of Cottingham’s death awaits autopsy and lab results.
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Agencies are continuing an investigation of the fire’s origin.
